Means for illuminating the dial of a manually set automatic transmission



April 22, 1952 E. J. SULLIVAN MEANS FOR ILLUMINATING THE DIAL OF AMANUALLY SET AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Flled Sept 29 1949 Patented Apr. 22,1952 UN I TED' STATES PATENT oFFIcE' -T? MEANS FOR ILLUMINATING THE DIALOF A MANUALLY SET AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Edward J. Sullivan, Des Moines,Iowa Application September 29, 1949, Serial No. 118,505 2 Claims. (01.116-129) This invention relates to a means for illuminating the dial ofmanually set automatic transmission of automotive vehicles so that theoperator may be able to observe and-read the in dicia on the dial duringthe hours of darkness.

Certain automatic transmissions do have internal lighting means asstandard equipment. However, in the Dynafiow transmission used on .Buickautomobiles the control. dial is not illuminated. As is well known, thepointer has only to travel a fraction of an inch to change from low gearto reverse gear. When the operator is in darkness, it is most 'difiicultto adjust the pointer to the correct drive.

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide anattachable light means for Buick automobiles and the like that willilluminate the transmission control dial. I

A further object of this invention is to provide a light of this classthat may be easily and quickly attached to vehicles already on themarket.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a light fortransmission control dials that is economical in manufacture and durablein use. I

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an inside perspective view of my de vice ready forinstallation.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the steering assembly of a vehicle with mydevice installed.

Fig. 3 is anenlarged cross-sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig, 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the installeddevice taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the drawings I use the numeral H) to designate the steering post ofan automotive vehicle having thereon the steering wheel H, the manuallyset gear lever l2, its pointer l3 and the transmission indicator dial M.It is to such a structure that I install my device and which I will nowdescribe in detail. The numeral l5 designates a reflector shield brackethaving a curved length to conform with the general curvature of the dialM, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 3. The numeral l6 designates anelongated longitudinal depression on the inner side of the shield. Neareach end of the shield is an inwardly extending shoulder l1 so that thecenter top of the shield above the depression IE will be off-setforwardly to direct and permit light to reach the forward side of thetransparent or translucent dial [4. On the central lower edge of theshield is a forked portion l8 extending rearwardly and at substantiallya right angle to the height of the shield proper. The numeral I9designates a light socket hold ing tongue on the right lower edge of theshield. This tongue is bent upwardly and curved to detachably embrace alamp socket 20 on the inner or rear side of the shield, as shown in'Fig.l. The numeral 2| designates an electric lead wire extending from thelamp socket to the switch 22 of the vehicle, as shown in Fig. 2. By thisarrangement the lamp socket will be in communication with a source ofelectrical energy when the lights of the vehicle are turned on. Thenumeral 23 designates a small incandescent light bulb in the socket 20and adjacent the inner rear side of the shield. To install my device itis merely necessary to loosen the top cap screw 24 of the steering postcollar and slip the forked portion l8 under the collar and straddlingthe cap screw, after which the same is retightened and the lead wireconnected to the light switch of the vehicle. When in place theincandescent light bulb will be located in the recess 25 under thetransmission dial, and the central top of the shield reflector will beslightly spaced apart from the frame portion of the dial assembly, asshown in Fig. 4. While the source of light is under the dial proper, itwill contact the inner face of the shield which will direct it upwardlyand onto the forward side of the dial. This light will therefore beefiective between the pointer l3 and the control indicator dial. These.dials may have different indicia thereon, but

P, N, D, NL! UR"! With my device installed, the operator can easily readthe indicia on the dial under poor light conditions.

A lip closing end 26 may be formed on the right end of the shield, asshown in Fig. 1. The reflector shield comprising the portions I5, [8 l9and 26 may be stamped and formed from one single sheet of metal.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my meansfor illuminating the dial of a manually set automatic transmissionwithout departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, andit is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms ofstructure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonablyincluded within their scope.

I claim:

1. In combination with a normally naturally lighted position indicatingmeans for the manually moveable control lever of an automatictransmission, said indicating means having a fixed position dial and'apointer secureduto the manually moveable .control lever; said dialandsaid pointer in a spaced relation with respect to each other and saiddial having a depression formed in its side nearer said pointer, anilluminating means comprising,"anselectrical illuminating unit securedin the depression in said dial, a means for connecting said electricalilluminating unit to a source of electrical; energy at times, and ashield disposed across theopene ing of and spaced apart from thedepression in said dial to direct rays from said electrical illuminatingunit upwardly between said pointer and said dial to illuminate them bothso' that the position of the control lever may be known byvisualreference to the relative position of 'said pointer to said dialthough insufiicient natural sunlight be available to make such avisualreference possible.

2. In a light for an automatic transmission control position indicatorsecured by a cap screw, a sheet of light reflecting material out in acurved shape, a depression substantially following the-configuration ofthe sheet of lightreflecting material, a tongue formed integrallyWith'the lower edge of said sheet of light reflecting material and bentoutwardly then upwardly and with itsfree end'terminating across from oneend of said depression; a closing lip formed integrally withuone end ofsaid sheet of light reflecting material and extending at right anglestherefrom in the same direction as said tongue is bent initially, aforked portion formed integrally with the lower edge of said sheet oflight reflecting material at a point spaced apart from the point wheresaid tongue is formed; said forked portion extending at substantiallyright angles to said .sheetlof light reflecting vmaterial in'the samedirection as said closing lip, an incandescent light socket with a bulbtherein frictionally secured between said tongue and said sheet of lightreflecting material, and a means for selectively connecting anddisconnecting said incandescent light socket to a source of electricalenergy; said forked portion adapted to extend on both sides 7 andunderthe. head of an automatic transmission control position indicatorsecuring cap screw for securing said sheet of light reflecting materialbelow an automatic transmission control position indicator.

EDWARD JnSULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

